ECTE324/8324 Power Engineering 1:

Overview of Rotating Electrical Machines

Sarath Perera, Room 35.G33
[email protected]
Acknowledgements: Electric Energy – An Introduction, M. A. El-Sharkawi
3rd Edition
Many of the images contained in these slides have been extracted from the
accompanying slides
Overview of Rotating Electrical Machines

• Rotating electrical machines play a vital role in our daily life

• They are used in domestic, industrial, commercial, transport
(road, air, naval) and exploratory tasks

Ref:
https://cleantechnica.com/2011/06/16/electric-
motors-consume-45-of-global-electricity-europe-
responding-electric-motor-efficiency-infographic/

3
Overview of Rotating Electrical Machines

• Most electricity producing sources use rotating generators to

generate electricity (in both non-renewable and renewable
generation, eg wind)

Source: https://www.energy.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019_aes_table_o_march_2019.pdf

4
Guiding principles of rotating electric machines

§ Faraday’s and Lenz’s laws

§ Lorentz force equation
§ ….. other electromagnetic theories/concepts/principles have vital
connections with rotating electric machines. These help in the
understanding, design, analysis, construction and operation. These
include: conductors and dielectrics, capacitance, current and current
density, magnetic fields, Biot- Savart law, Ampere’s circuital law,
magnetic materials , permeability, magnetic circuits, inductance,
Maxwell’s equations, transmission lines

5
 6

Faraday’s law

Faraday’s law states that a voltage can be induced in a conductor or a

conducting loop by a time varying magnetic flux.

The magnetic flux linking the loop is given by:

∅ = #$ = #%&, where x and L are the sides of rectangle forming the loop

According the Faraday’s law, the induced voltage e in the loop is:
+ + + + + + +
)∅ )(#%&) )#
( = = = Lx + + + + + + + L
)* )* )*
+ + + + + + +
conducting loop
x
 7

Faraday’s law

Now replace one side of the conducting loop with a sliding conductor.

∅ = #$ = #%&, where x and L are the sides of rectangle forming the loop

According the Faraday’s law, even in the case where B is constant an induced
voltage e in the loop can be established according to: sliding conductor

)∅ )(#%&) )&
( = = = #% + + + + + + +
)* )* )*
+ + + + + + + L
+ + + + + + +
conducting loop
x
 8

Lenz’s law

The Lenz’s law states that the current caused by the induced voltage in a
circuit will flow in a such a direction that opposes the change of flux.

(Electromagnetic concepts & applications, Prentice Hall, 199, p 295)

 9

Lorentz’s force – electromagnetic force

Force exerted on a current carrying conductor by a magnetic field is given by

the vector cross product (derived from the general Lorentz force equation)

I
F = L (I x B)

In scalar form F = B I L sin q

L=length of wire carrying current I
q = angle between B and I

Note that the component of B which is parallel to I will not produce any
force whereas the component of B which is perpendicular to I is the one
that produces F.
 10

Lorentz’s force – electromagnetic force

Electromagnetic force
The direction of force can also be established with the help of the following
arrangement: DOT on conductor means current out of page

force

The current carrying conductor will move away from the area where the
field intensity is stronger
Lorentz’s force – electromagnetic force

Derive an expression for torque on the

rotor having an axial length L = 0.3 m as a
function of rotor position a,
for I = 10 A, B0 = 0.02 T and R = 0.05 m

Fitzgerald, Kingsley and Umans, 6th Ed

Torque production in rotating electric machines

Force on a single conductor

B
L - length
I1 I2 F
I1

B µ I1 F=BI2L
Torque production in rotating electric machines

Torque produced on a coil pivoted on its axis

axis of coil
F

I2
I2
F

F = B I2 L (assuming the the coil sides will always see the same B - is an assumption
here!!)
Torque = 2 F r r = radius of the coil
Torque production in rotating electric machines

Torque produced on a coil pivoted on its axis

axis of coil
F

I2
I2
F

Quiz: Assuming the force F to stay constant what will happen to the
magnitude of the torque as the coil spins by 90 degrees?
Torque production in rotating electric machines

Torque produced on a coil pivoted on its axis

axis of coil

I2
I2
Quiz: Assume that the coil has turned by 180 in the anticlockwise direction
(with the current directions in the coil sides unchanged). Find the direction
of torque (clockwise or anticlockwise?).
What should be done to I2 to ensure uni-directional torque is developed as
the coil spins?
Torque production in rotating electric machines
Torque produced from a magnetic field point of view
F2
N
N S F1 finite torque
S
F2

N
N S F1 finite torque
S

N S F1 no torque
N
S

F2
Torque production in rotating electric machines

Torque produced from a magnetic field point of view

Torque (T) = K(a constant) . F1. F2 sin d.

F2
d
F1

Maximum torque when d = 90° (an important idea …..)

Fundamental working principle of a DC motor
Copper wire forming a
F1 closed loop attached to the
copper segments
I2

I2
I2

F1
I2
Copper segment carbon brush
(commutator)

• Field flux F 1 is set up by a direct current I1 flowing in a field winding (not shown) which
interacts with the current I2 (sets up F1).
• Permanent magnets (PM) can be used to produce F1
• Direction of force (torque) is maintained using the commutator (note the gap between
copper segments)
Pictures of parts of a DC motor

Ref: https://www.google.com.au/search?q=slip+rings+of+a+synchronous+generator&client=firefox-
b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSkZ3Yv8HTAhXClJQKHQfAB4kQ_AUICCgB&biw=2560
&bih=1259#imgrc=YFoPbLxMW2OJGM:
Fundamental working principle of an AC induction motor

F2 F2

N
F1 N S F1

S
This is not the physical rotor
stator but merely the N-S formation
rotor

• Three phase currents in the three phase stator coils on stator produce a rotating
magnetic field F1 at a speed proportional to the supply frequency (eg 50 Hz).
• F1 cuts the short circuited conductors on rotor. The rotor induced voltages would
cause currents to flow in rotor windings and will produce another rotating field F2.
It can be shown that this field also rotates at the same speed as F1.
Fundamental working principle of an AC induction motor

F2 F2

N
F1 N S F1

S
This is not the physical rotor
stator but merely the N-S formation
rotor
• F1 and F2 would lock onto each other (zero relative speed) and rotate at a speed
(proportional to supply frequency) independent of the rotor speed (normally
slightly less than the speed of F1) and hence a net torque is produced
• If the actual rotor speed catches up to speed of F1 then no flux cutting takes
place and hence torque disappears
• The name induction motor comes about because of the above induction process
Number of poles of an AC induction motor

The concept of number of poles in the stator winding of an AC motor

2 poles 4 poles

2%&
The angular speed rota;on of F1 is !" = *+,/.
(
( )
2
0123
Converted to revolutions per minute /" = rpm
4
Number of poles of an AC induction motor

In a 50 Hz country, the maximum possible speeds of an induction motor:

Number of poles Synchronous speed (rpm)

2 3000
4 1500
6 1000
8 750

Only discrete changes in speed is possible by selecting an induction motor

having different pole numbers.

What other technique can you think of which will allow speed variation?
Pictures of AC induction motor

stator Rotor (squirrel cage)

AC induction motor – cut away view
The linear AC induction motor

3-phase supply
Stator
Rotor
Stator windings
Supply
Primary

Secondary
Rotor coil
The linear AC induction motor

ns ns
n

Stationary Stator Stationary Rotor

The linear AC induction motor – Linear Induction Motor
dc or ac line

Power stick
Direction of Motion
v
Converter
Primary
a c' b a' c b'

vs
Direction
of
tp magnetic
Secondary field
Fundamental working principle of synchronous motor

F2

N
N
F1 N S

S
S

This is the physical rotor

stator forming the N-S poles
rotor
• Three phase currents in the three phase windings on stator produce a
rotating magnetic field F1 at a speed proportional to supply frequency as in the
case of a three phase induction machine
• Direct current on the rotor winding produces the field F2 (passed to the rotor
through slip rings employing brushes – let’s look at how this is done soon)
Fundamental working principle of synchronous motor

F2

N
N
F1 N S

S
S

stator
rotor
• F1 and F2 will lock onto each other to produce steady torque and hence the actual
rotor will rotate at a speed proportional to supply frequency, ie of F1).
• In summary, both F1 and F2 as well as the rotor will turn at the same speed
(proportional to supply frequency) – compare with those of an induction motor
• The name synchronous motor comes about because of the above synchronous
process
• Quiz: How could a synchronous motor start from zero speed and reach synchronous speed?
Slip rings of a synchronous machine
Generators

Direct current, induction and Synchronous motors can also

be used as generators

DC machine: rotor is driven using a prime mover

Induction machine: rotor is driven by a prime mover (eg wind turbine), need a
mechanism to set up the magnetic flux (eg. Shunt capacitors)

Synchronous machine: rotor is driven using a prime mover (all large

coal/hydro/gas power station generators are of this type)
Pictures of a large synchronous generator (hydro power plant)

stator rotor

*+,-
• Recall: '( = rpm
.
• Hydro turbines work at low speeds, ie Ns is low
• To produce 50Hz (f), large number of poles is required
Pictures of a large synchronous generator (coal power plant)

stator rotor
-./0
• Recall again: *+ = rpm
1
• Steam turbines work at high speeds, ie Ns is high
• To produce 50Hz (f), a fewer number of poles is required
Sarath Perera